Building a company’s reputation online takes an investment of time as well as money. Online reputation management (ORM) and search engine reputation management (SERM) involve establishing a useful public presence and paying attention to what people find when they look up your business.
More than 8 years in the market have helped us develop the following advice on building a positive reputation.
1) Monitor information about your company online
This is the first step towards building a positive online reputation.
Whether your company is new or established, review the information people can find about it in search results, on online maps and on other relevant websites. Notice positive mentions, investigate problems and correct information you control. Missing business details, outdated social profiles and factual errors can make it harder for a prospective customer to decide whether to contact you. Regular checks help you keep that information useful and consistent.
Where people encounter information about your company matters too.
People looking for businesses often start with the results near the top of a search page. Check whether your important pages and blog posts are being indexed, and review how your company appears in relevant searches.
2) Use channels that fit your audience
Maintain official social profiles on channels where your customers are active. Examples include VK, Odnoklassniki, and Telegram. You can establish these profiles early in your company’s development or improve them later. Consistent, useful communication gives people a reason to follow your work and can help build a loyal audience.
3) Use customer feedback to improve your business
Listen to what customers say about your product or service, including criticism. Prospective customers may compare reviews before choosing a company, but they can also notice how the company responds. Investigate suggestions, explain how you will address a problem and follow through on improvements. Your response should reflect the experience you want customers to have.
4) Develop a personal brand
A personal brand helps people understand the experience and expertise behind your business. Decide how you want to present yourself professionally and describe what you want to be known for. Choose appropriate profile images, a consistent colour palette, a logo and topics that reflect your work. Together, these elements can provide a consistent basis for your public presence.
5) Take part in relevant online communities
Community discussions and customer recommendations can influence a company’s reputation. Identify websites and review platforms where your audience exchanges experiences, and pay attention to the conversations there. Share useful information and encourage genuine customers to describe their own experiences. Keep business participation transparent rather than presenting promotional content as an independent review. Mentions on these platforms may also appear in search results, so include them in your monitoring.
6) Share your story and real examples of your work
Use your content to explain how your company developed and to present completed projects or case studies. Consider people beyond your immediate customer audience, such as journalists, creators and specialists in your field, who may be interested in your work. Be clear about who you are, what your business does and what you have achieved. Do not invent information or mislead readers. If you made a mistake, acknowledge it, address it and explain the improvement.
Putting reputation management into practice
A company’s reputation is an important part of its business, and our agency gives this work close attention.
ORM and SERM take time to organise and maintain. Review your company’s online presence regularly, respond to feedback and refine your approach as you learn. A clear strategy and consistent work can help build a credible reputation in your market.
